Frogless switch



M. WALSH. FROGLESS SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,1920. RENEWED APR. 4, I922. 1,425,619. PatentedAug- 15, 1922.

// 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

flzwzM/m 2f %M /v. 7% BY M M A TTORNE Yv IVIICHAEL WALSH, OF DENVER, COLOR/A30.

FROGLESS SV/ITGH.

Application filed July 2, 1920, Serial I-To. 393,658.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I. lilioimnn Warren, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful improvement in frogless switches for use by railroads or wherever it becomes necessary to switch from one line of traclrage to another upon a permanent way, of which the following is a full and complete description and specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s, which are hereby made a part thereof.

This invention relates to that class of switches wherein the passage from one line of rails to another is effected wholly by the movement of certain elements of the railway itself, and without the intervention of frogs, points or guard-rails, as they are gen erally employed in all present devices and installations.

The objects and purposes of this invention arez to provide a device whereby a switch may be made and operated without the elements of frogs, points or guard-rails; to simplify and improve the construction, operation and maintenance of switches generally, thereby reducing the cost, without in anywise interfering with the safety or cortainty of their functioning; to provide for a switch which shall be without the present dangers resultant from the installations of frogs, points, or guard-rails, with the spaces which necessarily exist between them, and which admit either of the entry therein of foreign substances to clog or obstruct, or which may catch the feet of the unwary.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction of the several parts involved, operating as a frogless, pointless switch, and in the combination of those several elements in their interaction to produce such result, as hereinafter shown and described, and set forth in the accompanyingclaims.

Like reference characters refer to the same elements throughoiit. Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch embodying my invention in a modified form. Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the hinge end of a rail. Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4c is a section on line 41 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a broken plan View of a tie-plate. Figure 6 is a detail of the crossing arrangement. Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 6. Figure 8 Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented Aug. 15, 1922.

Renewed April 4, 1922. Serial No. 549,501.

is a plan view of a switch embodying my invention in complete form. Figure 9 is a detail of a bridle-rod member. Figure 10 is a detail plan view of a stop-device. ure 11 is the same in elevation. Figure 12 is a section on line l2l2 of Figure 8. Fig ure 13 is a longitudinal section of a tieplate.

I Figure l is shown merely to illustrate how the device may be adapted to existing in stallations. Figure 8 shows the device in its fullestdevelopment, and is the one to which reference is hereinafter exclusively made.

In describing my invention in detail,

A A are permanent rails of a main trackway. B B are permanent rails of a switchway, adjacent thereto. C C, etc., are ordi nary cross-ties, in place, of varying lengths, as required for the proper installation of the switch and device. D is the head-block of the switch, and should be much longer than the others, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 8, so as to form a rest and support for the pivot-points, 0 0, of the connectingparts between the parallel members of the double bridle of the device. 33 F/ F are the movable rail-section's, which, as stated, are part of the main trackway, but, by construction and adjustment, adaptable of movement into proper alignment in the switchway, and thereby completing it. in the operation of the device, this is accomplished by drawing these sections back and forth upon their hinge-ends, as pivots, from the positions shown by the solid lines in the main traclrway, to those shown by the dotted lines in the switch-way, in Figure 8. Gr G are parallel members ofthe double bridle effecting the foregoing movements of these moving sections. Of these members, G is shown as attached to two of the sections, and G to the other one. These attachments are pivotal, and are designed to allow proper play of the parts during the movement described. By this arrangement, the two sections attached to G move simul taneously in the same direction, and their relative positions are meanwhile sustained by the operation of rods J J, etc, hereafter mentioned. H H are connecting means between the parallel members of the bridle, the points of attachment to G and G being at the ends thereof, indicated at is Z m and n. I is the connecting means between the double bridle, above described, and a switch.

described, not only to fasten and hold the to cause them to operate throw, in any form. J J are rods, air-eat";- mentioned, attached adjustably between the two parallel similarly moving rai sections E E, designed, as stated, to ass in sup porting their relative positions during their movements. K is any switch-thrmv to which the device is connected as indicated.

a a 7) are fish-plates, angle-irons, or modified rail-supports, employed at hinge points of the rail-sections, and attached as already parts in place, but also, through the em' ployment oit spring-washers, or similar means, at the points of attaclnnent, to admit 01' a swinging moven'ient, through a short fixed and de'teri'nined arc. The kind of hastening selected for use at any given point is wholly dependent upon what is 1 deemed most eflicacious to function properly under the circumstances there existing. 0 0 (Z cl 6 6, etc, 7', are, respectively, tie-plates, set in the supporting cross-tres, andupon which the moving rail sections are either hinged, as to their 'fined ends, oifirnade to slide back and forth, as to their moving ends 9 9 it are spring-washers employed in the attachment and fastening of thefishplates, angle-irons, or other supporting and fastening means, such as (a a b, so that there may be opportunity for the freedom of movement of the parts to accomplish the necessary passage of the moving rail-sections from one position to another, as already described. tindicates a flange space, to be provided, in case a supportin the form of b is employed, to admit of thepassage of the wheel flange. j is the attachment of 1 to the bridle of the device, throiiigh which means and, attachment, motion is communicated to the rods or members of the bridle as described. Z? Z. We 7L are means of attachment between the respective parallel members of the bridle, and their connecting parts, already mentioned.

parts to be attached, and fastened by washer and nut, in which event, the bolt holes should be made oversize, or arced, to admit or the play necessary to effect the movement and adjustment of the parts, as described. 0 0 are pivot points of the parts connecting the parallel members mentioned, and should be raised and supported upon the head-block D. Q is the depression in the tie-plates, already mentioned, in which the moving ends of the rail-sections restand move, as already described. As stated, the shoulders of these, and of: all such depressions, are designed to prevent the parts moving beyond pro-determined points. 7 7*, etc., are stopwlevices designed and disposed to assist in t his result oi preventing the moving parts from going too far in their "passage to and fro. They are so designec l and constructed as to raise These attachments may appropriately be made by bolts passing through both and allow free movement in the other dircction. 'lhesedevices are mounted upon the several crossties bearing tie-plates, and adjacent to the shoulders of the tie-plate depressions described. 8 s are the means of attachment of these devices to the ties. t is a stop provided to hold the device firm in its resisting position, when operating to stop :l'urther forward movement of the rail-section. a is a pivot uponwhich the movable part of the stop-device turns in its operation, in passing in and out of engagement with therail-section. c is a movable part ofthe device. It is so constructed and arranged as to allow the rail and flange, below the head, to engage corresponding parts of the device, and, acting against the resistance of the pivot, a,and the stop, If, to prevent the rail-section passing further in that direction. 'w is the trip of the stop-device, whereby, when the railis started in the opposite direction, by pressure upon the slanted edge of w, as shown, the moving part of the device is pressed, or drops, down below the level of the tie-plate, and allows the railsection tree passage. as is the depression in those tie-plates constructed for use at the hinge-ends, as already described. These dopressions occur, as stated, in all tie plates. 'llhose used at the hinge-ends of the device as a whole, bear a raised part, y], shown in the drawings as a knob,'or semi-sphere, de-

signed, as already stated, to enter a correspondent hole, or depression, created in the bottom of the rail-section, at an appropriate point near its end.

his already stated, the device can be operated by any switcli-th-i'ow, after the proper attachment has been made, as indicated. The operation of the device is as follows. VVhen the switch-throw is operated, w'th the intention of opening the switch, the movable railsections being then a part of the main trackway, as shown by the solid lines in Figure 8, the pull ot the throw, through the attachment 1, is communicated to the device by the connection of I to G at This draws (tinto the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 8. And, as G is attached, as described, to both E and E, these are like wise carried in the same direction, and as sume the positions shown by the dot-ted lines in the same figure. Simultaneously, motion of "the deviceiis likewise carried into it'snew position, disclosed by the dotted lines in the switchway in the same figure. E E and F have now all become parts of the switchway, and it is complete and ready for use. The tie-plates, with their appropriate shoulders, as described, are so disposed and arranged that at this time, the movable railsections are in complete engagement with them, and further movement in that direction is impossible, while this result is still further assured by the coincident action of the stopdevice, disposed and arranged as already described. When it is desired to close the switch, it the switch-throw is' turned back, action of the parts, the reverse of that above described, occurs, and all parts resume their former position, and E E and F are elements of the main traclrway. And these results are entirely accomplished, with certainty and safety, and without, as will be noted, the intervention of any additional or auxiliary rails, guard-rails or frogs.

llhile l have shown and described speciiic forms of construction of certain of the parts herein, I do not limit myself to them, and expressly reserve the right to make any and all changes within the scope of the prin ciples disclosed in the invent-ion.

My claims are 1. In traclrway switches, the construction of sections of the main trackway, adaptable to be carried by an attached pair of connected] and interacting parallel members moving in opposite directions, into position' as elements of a completed switch-way from the main track, without additional or auxiliary r iis, guardrails or frogs, substantially as describet.

2. In trackway switches, the construction of appropriate sections of the main trackway, hinged at one end but slidably adjusted at the other, together with a pair of connected, interacting, oppositely-moving parallel members designed to move the free ends of such sections out of alignment in the main trackway and into position in an adjacent switch, so as to form a completed switch-way, wholly without additional or auxiliary rails, guard-rails or frogs, substantially as described.

3. In trackway switches, the combination of cross-ties, a head-block, an appropriate number of sections of a main trackway, so constructed as to be hinged at one end but free to slide from side to side, through predetermined arcs, at the other, of appropriately designed plates, disposed upon the cross-ties, to receive and support the ends of such sections, of two parallel, interacting, oppositely-moving members appropriately attached to and carried by the respective moving sections of the main tracltway, and or" means of communicating motion from a switch-throw to these parallel members, substantially as described.

t. In trackway switches, the combination of cross-ties, a head-block, an appropriate number of sections of a main trackway, so constructed as to be hinged at one end but free to slide through pre-determined arcs at the other, of appropriate stop-devices disposed on the sides of the cross-ties at the ends of these arcs, of appropriately designed plates disposed upon the cross-ties to receive and support the ends of such sec tions, of two parallel, connected, oppositelymoving members appropriately attached to and carried by the respective moving sections of main trackway, and of means of communicating motion from a switch-throw to these parallel members, substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto at fixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL WALSH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. MURRAY, ABRAM H. FELKER. 

